If you wish to be taught tips on how to converse Spanish like a Cuban, you’ve come to the suitable place!
Cuba is a real fusion of African and European influences, making it a beautiful problem for the extra superior Spanish learner to grasp.
This dialect is a nice introduction to the range of the Spanish language for anybody who’s touring to Cuba or who has Cuban associates.
Let’s get began with the following pointers and tips to your Cuban journey!
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Cuban Spanish 101
Spanish got here to Cuba by way of immigrants from the Canary Islands within the nineteenth century, changing the indigenous languages. Over time, Cuban Spanish turned as distinctive because the island it’s spoken on. It contains a distinct nasal accent and a rhythmic poetic intonation that’s nearly song-like. It additionally incorporates a lot of slang—each from Spanish-based creole and from its communist historical past.
Pronunciation and Speech
A lot of Cuban speech will be seen as casual, a characteristic of most Caribbean Spanish varieties. Listed below are a few of the relaxed pronunciations you may come throughout:
- If a syllable ends in r or l, the sound turns into the identical as the primary sound of the subsequent syllable. This may sound complicated, however it’s a very easy one in observe. For instance, Carlitos turns into Cal-li-tos.
- If d is at first of a syllable inside a phrase, it won’t be stated in any respect, e.g. dedo (finger) is pronounced dé-o.
- S on the finish of a syllable is commonly aspirated, and infrequently it’s omitted altogether.
- Sometimes, r turns into l on the finish of a syllable or finish of a phrase.
- Consonants on the beginnings of syllables are sometimes spoken extra softly than normal Spanish pronunciation dictates.
One of many foremost variations you’ll discover between Cuban Spanish and normal Latin American Spanish is the nasal accent and rhythmic intonation. That is the affect of African settlers on the language and makes it sound very totally different from most different Spanish varieties.
Watch this video to listen to just a little extra concerning the accent of Cuban Spanish:
Provinces and Language Variations
Cuba has sixteen provinces in modern-day. Linguistically talking, it’s easier to think about the historic six provinces of Cuba. These are:
- Pinar del Río — Right here you’re most definitely to listen to r grow to be l on the finish of a phrase or syllable, and infrequently the opposite manner round. This may be exhausting to know, so that you might need to coach your ear to it.
- La Habana — Sometimes, audio system could also be heard to talk as in Pinar del Río. The remainder of the island exterior of Havana can be known as campa in Havana.
- Camagüey — This place has a few of the totally different vocabulary of the Oriente province however largely follows the language of the remainder of the island. They use steadiness as an alternative of sillón for “rocking chair” and pluma or llave as an alternative of faucet, which is used on the remainder of the island for a faucet.
- Oriente — The language right here is much extra much like Dominican Republic Spanish than the remainder of the island. Additionally they have a set of vocabulary phrases that’s totally different from the remainder of the Cuban island. For instance, balde as an alternative of cubo for bucket and guineo as an alternative of plátano for banana/plantain. Right here the s sound can be most definitely to go unaspirated. The bizarre intonation of this province may additionally be the final remnants of the indigenous language.
Cuban Spanish Grammar
There are some parts of Cuban Spanish grammar which can be totally different to European and Latin American Spanish. These are some options you may want to concentrate on:
- Tú comes earlier than the verb, not after it, in a query.
Instance: ¿Qué tú haces aquí?
What are you doing right here?
- Le and les grow to be la and las when after se in a sentence.
Instance: A Juana se la ve en la tienda todos los días.
Juana is seen within the retailer each day.
- Decir a is used to indicate the beginning of an motion.
Instance: Si el niño cube a crecer, tendremos que comprarle ropa nueva.
If the boy begins to develop, we’ll have to purchase him new garments.
- Para as an alternative of en for saying that somebody is someplace.
Instance: Carmen está para la Habana.
Carmen is in Havana.
- Uno (one, quantity or pronoun) is used as an alternative of the indefinite article una.
Instance: Está uno cansada de tanto hablar.
Is one uninterested in speaking.
- Más (extra) comes earlier than nada/nadie (nothing) to supply the phrase “nothing else.
- -ico and -ica are used on the finish of phrases as an alternative of -ito and -ita to point a smaller or lesser model. This solely applies to phrases ending in to/ta.
Instance: Plato (plate) turns into platico (saucer.)
Cuban Slang Overview
Cuban slang, very like slang in lots of different languages, is a vibrant combine of regularly altering phrases and meanings.
Cuban slang derives a few of its influences from African languages and in addition options numerous anglicisms.
What we’ll provide you with has a splash of every part, and so they’re all slang phrases that you simply may discover helpful in a Cuban membership.
Primary Spanish Data
In fact, you may’t simply depend on slang phrases and grammar to get you by in a dialog. So as to use these phrases and phrases successfully, you’ll should know primary Spanish grammar.
How do you be taught it? It is dependent upon your studying model.
In case your non-partying alter ego is keen to take a seat down with a textbook, then you need to make one your new greatest pal.
In case you’re too busy to take a seat down in any respect (most likely dancing as an alternative, I guess!), strive a vocab/grammar driller like Duolingo, with its “throw it at you till you get it” method.
You can even take pleasure in native music and leisure whereas studying Spanish with a digital immersion program like FluentU. This feature helps you to be taught with participating quick movies like music movies, film trailers, commercials and different native Spanish media.
Movies include interactive dual-language subtitles you can click on on for any phrase’s contextual definition with no need to depart the video participant. Maintain the social gathering going with multimedia flashcards, post-video quizzes, customized flashcard train units, downloadable transcripts and even talking questions on the iOS and Android app variations.
No matter you do, keep it up, as a result of these slang phrases are ready so that you can be prepared to make use of them!
21 Key Cuban Slang Phrases
1. Absorbente
That is one thing you may ask for in your mojito. Yep, it’s a consuming straw! Fairly simple one to recollect—simply think about your self absorbing your drink by a straw.
2. Aguajirado
Perhaps feeling just a little aguajirado (timid) is protecting you off the dance flooring? Properly, cease being shy and get on the market! In typical Cuban model, the j is prone to be pronounced extra softly than you’d count on.
3. ¡Alabao!
Couple of chicos (pleasant time period for friends) rocking the dance flooring? Present your admiration by shouting ¡Alabao!
4. Ambia
All the time a good suggestion to take your ambia (pal) alongside to a membership, for security in addition to enjoyable. Not like amigo/amiga, ambia stays the identical no matter your pal’s gender!
5. Bachata
The bachata (social gathering) is the place it’s at! This phrase may also be used for noise in a extra derogatory manner, so be careful for that.
6. Baracutey
In case you establish your self as a baracutey (an individual who lives alone) you won’t need the social gathering to finish if you happen to’re going house alone. The r right here may grow to be an l in pronunciation.
7. Baro
Ensure you take loads of baro (cash) with you for drinks.
8. Burumba
One other phrase for social gathering, burumba may imply to have enjoyable. If final night time was a burumba, it was an excellent night time. The r on this may also be pronounced as an l.
9. De caché
In case you’re wanting completely de caché (fashionable/elegant) then you definately’ve carried out a superb job. It could sound a bit old style to youthful folks, although.
10. Darle candela al jarro
In case your dancing isn’t fairly what you’d prefer it to be, your ambia may cheer you up by saying, ¡Dale candela al jarro! (persevere till you attain your aim!).
11. Chola
Music hurting your chola (head)? Time to get a breath of contemporary air!
12. Coger un aire
In case you’re sporting just a little costume or a light-weight shirt with out a jacket in a windy night time, put together to coger un aire (get a spasm)!
13. Punzada del guajiro
Drink your frozen daiquiri too quick and also you’ll positively get la punzada del guajiro (get a mind freeze). Don’t fret, simply put your tongue on the roof of your mouth and it’ll go away.
14. Darse un tanganazo
Watch out on the dance flooring. You might journey and darte un tanganazo (bump your self)!
15. Drinqui
An apparent anglicism, drinqui (alcoholic drink) has fairly a enjoyable and weird spelling.
16. Echar un tacón
If somebody asks, you may wish to echar un tacón (to bop).
17. Emperifollado
In case you’re able to exit dancing and also you’re sporting your greatest garments, you may say that you simply’re emperifollado (polished up).
18. Fachao
If all that dancing has made you fachao (hungry), it’s time to strive some Cuban delicacies.
19. Jugar a los bomberos
After dancing all night time and beginning to ache, you may wish to jugar a los bomberos (to take a shower.) This one may be very enjoyable to say. Don’t overlook the Cuban pronunciation of l for the letter r, and you’ll want to pass over the s in bomberos.
20. Vacilón
In case you discover {that a} Cuban social gathering is a vacilón (one thing you take pleasure in lots), then you definately’ll love the remainder of Cuban life.
21. Zurdo
Who cares if you happen to’re a zurdo (dangerous dancer)? Get on the market and have enjoyable!
For even an much more intensive checklist of Cuban slang phrases and phrases, take a look at this put up:
Now that you’ve a vocabulary stuffed with dancing slang and an introduction to normal Cuban Spanish, it’s time to get training!
Get on the market, dance, take pleasure in.
And take in each little bit of Cuban language, tradition and social gathering life that you simply probably can!
Obtain:
This weblog put up is offered as a handy and moveable PDF that you simply
can take wherever.
Click on right here to get a replica. (Obtain)
